1. Technological Field
The disclosure relates generally to the field of data and content distribution and delivery via a content distribution or other network. In one exemplary aspect, the disclosure relates to the selective delivery of supplemental or secondary content such as advertising or promotions.
2. Description of Related Technology
Today, advertisers expend vast sums of money to advertise over television programming delivery mechanisms (e.g., over-the-air broadcast, cable, satellite, etc.), as well as in complementary mechanisms such as print media (magazines, newspapers, etc.), and online via the Internet (e.g., banner advertisements on websites, video clip advertisements, e-mail campaigns, Internet radio station spots, etc.). In many cases, promotions and discounts are offered with the objective to more effectively market the advertiser's brand/product to consumers. Advertisers also expend significant capital to obtain metrics data related to these advertising campaigns, which can provide feedback on the effectiveness of such campaigns, and consumer interest in the offered products or services.
However, advertising through these different media has traditionally been very segregated. For a given advertiser, there has been no linking between campaigns delivered through the different media, and no correlation of metrics from different media is generally utilized, even though the different media campaigns may target the same consumer households.
Print and Internet campaigns often offer discounts and promotions, either through printed coupons or electronic coupons, as incentive for consumers to try their products. Using these promotions and discounts, advertisers also collect and track various types of “performance” metrics data. However, data collected from these discount campaigns are largely disjoint from and uncorrelated to the television campaigns, even though they are from the same manufacturer/service provider.
Additionally, consumers (including television users or subscribers) are becoming less engaged over time in many facets of advertising, due in part to the ability to bypass them whether by FF functions or the like, tuning away, or simply walking away to do other things. The same is true of video commercials and so-called “infomercials”. Many users simply switch away or otherwise “tune out” advertisements, which subrogates the effectiveness of the advertisement or promotion.
Hence, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus which provide enhanced correlation and coordination between various advertising media campaigns.
Moreover, there is a need to increase the engagement or interest level of the user with respect to advertisements and promotions, regardless which sort of media outlet or campaign is utilized.